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A review by em_thebookish_girl
Killing Sarai by J.A. Redmerski
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
In the midst of criminals and assassins/killers without any qualms or morals, a twist of organized crime and suspense, there's Sarai. At the age of 14, Sarai's life drastically changed; her mother uprooted her life: moving from the US to live in Mexico. For 9 years, Sarai has been held captive by a ruthless, notorious drug lord. He claims "he loves her", but it's a sick, twisted obsession. One evening, Sarai discovered a way to escape; her saviour is not a "knight in shining armour" but a cold-blooded assassin. Sarai is aware of how dangerous Victor is: he is a killer. But she's desperate; after all, "desperate times calls for desperate measures".
A compelling, action-packed, and suspenseful story; the intensity of events was absolutely amazing! Sarai witnessed a lot of bloodshed, violence and criminal activity. She's desensitised to the atrocities committed in her environment; she adapted to her surroundings throughout the years. And she hates how she feels so numb and guilty about it.
Our (anti)hero, Victor, is a man of very few words, but you should never underestimate him. He is an intimidating, cold and calculating character. Victor has a lot of blood on his hands; he has no remorse or conscience. Or does he?
Despite living in fear amongst criminals for most of her life, Sarai surprisingly feels safe with Victor. She needs Victor's help; he is using Sarai as leverage. But somewhere along the way, it's not about escaping from her terrible situation or a mission for him anymore. Victor wants to help Sarai (even though he hates to admit it to himself), and she can't seem to help herself, Sarai is drawn to him, and she wants to stay and be with him. And deep down, she knows that she will never have a normal life again.
Although Victor's chapters are brief, I immensely enjoyed seeing his internal dialogues. His past is vague, I mean, there are little snippets but not enough to reveal his whole backstory. With her traumatic past, Sarai is like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode at any minute. Lurking beneath the surface, Sarai has a certain darkness; it's dormant, waiting to be unleashed. It's not "Stockholm syndrome" per se, yet under this unusual circumstance, Sarai and Victor's "unexpected relationship" begins to flourish, or more like a unique alliance is formed. Overall, I enjoyed the pace of this book. And yes, it does end on a cliffhanger. Bring on book #2!
A compelling, action-packed, and suspenseful story; the intensity of events was absolutely amazing! Sarai witnessed a lot of bloodshed, violence and criminal activity. She's desensitised to the atrocities committed in her environment; she adapted to her surroundings throughout the years. And she hates how she feels so numb and guilty about it.
Our (anti)hero, Victor, is a man of very few words, but you should never underestimate him. He is an intimidating, cold and calculating character. Victor has a lot of blood on his hands; he has no remorse or conscience. Or does he?
Despite living in fear amongst criminals for most of her life, Sarai surprisingly feels safe with Victor. She needs Victor's help; he is using Sarai as leverage. But somewhere along the way, it's not about escaping from her terrible situation or a mission for him anymore. Victor wants to help Sarai (even though he hates to admit it to himself), and she can't seem to help herself, Sarai is drawn to him, and she wants to stay and be with him. And deep down, she knows that she will never have a normal life again.
Although Victor's chapters are brief, I immensely enjoyed seeing his internal dialogues. His past is vague, I mean, there are little snippets but not enough to reveal his whole backstory. With her traumatic past, Sarai is like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode at any minute. Lurking beneath the surface, Sarai has a certain darkness; it's dormant, waiting to be unleashed. It's not "Stockholm syndrome" per se, yet under this unusual circumstance, Sarai and Victor's "unexpected relationship" begins to flourish, or more like a unique alliance is formed. Overall, I enjoyed the pace of this book. And yes, it does end on a cliffhanger. Bring on book #2!